This year our
Early Childhood Director, Corinne Lagoy, introduced a new concept to our early
childhood program, "Clergy Corner." Once a
month the rabbis and cantor take a turn “hanging out” with the children. This is an opportunity for us to get to know the
kids and for them to get to know us and be comfortable with each of us. I have spent this year trying to figure out
how to “hang out” with the kids who range from 15 months to 5 years (We haven't yet figured out clergy corner in the infant room, perhaps just holding them would be fine.). We have done a variety of activities from
reading books and talking, to having a Jewish preschool music dance fest in my
office, and our Cantor taught them to bake matzah. It is an exciting challenge.
Today it is
my turn again, and we are going to bounce.
Our congregation has a bounce house that only seems to come out for big
events, like youth group chavurot and the Purim Carnival, so I thought, “why
not clergy corner?” Today we will
inflate the bounce house, and I look forward to inviting each group in to
bounce with me.
The
preschoolers may not realize it, but this week, with the tragic news that just
keeps coming, from Boston to Texas; we adults feel the weight of the world with
all this sadness and grief. This morning
of bouncing, with their smiles and their giggles, it is my hope that in the
lobby of United Hebrew our bouncing will fill our building with joy and ease
the sadness and pain of this week’s events, just a bit. Our bouncing will also enhance relationships
and creating holiness that comes in just being and just bouncing. They will once again see that the rabbi is
just like them, although a little bit bigger.
Just as their smiles and bounces will uplift my spirits, it is my hope
that our bouncing together will create a holiness between us, a recognition
that their rabbi is always there for them, in times of sadness, in times of
joy, and there to walk with them or bounce with them whenever they want and
need.
